Kindly Do Not Touch
by Alpha-alien
Summary: Tenth Incarnation/Pre-EOT/Based off the Poem 'The Box'. The Doctor is drawn to a quarantined planet of once peaceful aliens. Will he be able to help the inhabitants, or are they doomed to tear each other apart in a senseless war?
1. Chapter 1

First time writing a Doctor Who fanfiction.

Reviews will be awesome.

Thank you.

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Kindly Do Not Touch

Someone had called him. He didn't know who, but it was there. A call for help. The Doctor was needed. The TARDIS interior shook as it rocketed through the stars. The Doctor held on, tightly, trying his hardest to stabilize his ship.

"Come on, girl! Hold steady! Don't want to go crashing into a cliff side." The Doctor pleaded, trying to hold down four buttons at once. Soon, he felt the TARDIS slow and land gently on solid, he prayed, ground.

"Alright, then. Let's have a look outside. Allonz-y!" he turned, then frowned. He wasn't used to being alone quite yet. Shrugging off the sadness, he opened the TARDIS door, checked to make sure he didn't fall to his doom in a fiery pit, and stepped outside.

At first glance, he could tell something was wrong. The thick white patches of what the Doctor assumed was this planet's grass was charred black and stained a deep red color. The trees were nicked, some even cut down, and the leaves were black and wrinkled. The Doctor walked over to a tree and touched one of it's black leaves. It crunched and fell in tiny pieces. Dead. It seemed everything on this planet was dead or dying.

"_Halt_!" the Doctor spun around, and came face-to-face with the barrel of a very large energy canon.

"Oh, dear." he raised his hands slowly. "Unarmed. Don't like weapons." The Doctor attempted to look over the barrel, "And I'd appreciate it if you dropped yours, thank you." The barrel slowly lowered, and the Doctor saw a woman. Her skin was a light shade of purple with speckles of orange and stunning pink eyes. Her hair was black, and pulled into three separate ponytails, tied with pink rings. She was dressed in blue armor, obviously prepared for an assault.

"You're," her eyes traced his figure, and she raised a hand to her right ear. A blue lens snapped out, and the Doctor noticed it was scanning him, "You're not from here. How did you get here without detection?"

"Beg pardon?"

"Don't act stupid!" the woman snapped. "This planet is under quarantine. No life form can enter or leave Teriarn!"

"Teriarn," the Doctor looked around. "Why are you under quarantine?"

"You really are a moron, aren't you?" the woman looked utterly flabbergasted. "Just who are you?"

"Answer my question first, and I'll answer yours." the Doctor winked.

"Something's loose on this planet. It's changing us." the woman glanced down at her weapon. "We've quarantined the planet to keep it from escaping." The Doctor raised an eye brow.

"Some_thing_? What sort of something?" the woman shifted the weight of her weapon.

"Answer my question. Who are you?" The Doctor sighed.

"I'm the Doctor." the woman blinked.

"The Doctor? Doctor of what?"

"Of everything." he smiled at her confused face. "So, what is this something that's loose?" the woman nodded.

"Follow me, I'll explain on the way." It was the Doctor's turn to look confused.

"The way to where?"

Where happened to be a rundown building. By the interior, it seemed to have been a school. Now, children hid rather than learned, and adults protected, rather than teach. The woman, whom the Doctor learned was named Archrilla, explained the something was like a ball. Bouncy, and made of metal and hatred and whatever it came into contact with was filled with rage, and would attack anyone or anything close by. Archrilla's race was called the Lilartiks, and were known for their peaceful demeanor, so attacking others was highly unlike them.

"It's been bouncing around for nearly a hundred years." Archrilla said, solemnly, "No one wants to help stop it and lock it back up. They're all too busy fighting." she sighed. "Teriarn is a small planet. It would only take half a lunar cycle to walk around. We could find it and put it back and everything would be back to normal."

"Yeah, sorry, but," the Doctor scratched his head, "put it back _where_?"

"It's box."

Archrilla and the Doctor entered a room at the far back of the school; the only room with a roof still overhead. The two stepped over the fallen pieces of wood, and headed towards a table at the far end. It was the only thing still standing.

"It had alien writing on it. We've deciphered the languages, but we don't - "

"Language_s_? As in more than one?" The Doctor looked at Archrilla, who nodded.

"Yes. Eleven, to be precise." the Doctor whistled.

"Someone obviously wanted a point made across. What does it say?"

"I'd have told you if you hadn't interrupted." Archrilla frowned. "We've deciphered what it says, but we don't have a meaning for the word."

The Doctor looked over. "Just one word? In eleven alien languages?" Archrilla nodded. "What is this one word?"

"Look for yourself." Archrilla stopped and pointed towards the table. The Doctor walked forward and put on his glasses. On the table was the fore mentioned box. It was simple in design, metal. Links of chain and three large locks were laid around it, as if waiting to be used. As Archrilla said, the box had writing on it. The Doctor assumed it was many different languages, but the TARDIS translated each writing into a single word. The single word struck a cord, and he couldn't see how he had missed all the signs.

"What does it say, Doctor?" Archrilla stepped forward. "What does it mean?" the Doctor shook his head, removed his glasses and looked at Archrilla.

"It says 'war'."


	2. Chapter 2

Kindly Do Not Touch

"War?" Archrilla blinked. "What's that?"

"War is," the Doctor stopped and thought about it. "War is like an argument, but with more violence than just yelling." Archrilla frowned.

"Can it be stopped?" the Doctor nodded.

"Yes. But, war rarely leaves all parties alive." Archrilla looked downhearted. "However, I'm sure I can stop this war without anymore casualties." her eyes lighted up.

"Really?" the Doctor nodded.

"Yes. I'm sure if we can get this ball back into it's box, things will go back to normal." he smiled and placed a hand on Archrilla's shoulder. She looked up at the Doctor and smiled.

"Thank you." Archrilla smiled. The Doctor began to ask if Archrilla knew where to start looking for the ball, when a loud explosion, followed by the sound of screams and gunfire were heard. Archrilla looked over her shoulder, and picked up her weapon. "Stay here."

"But," Archrilla shoved the Doctor back, repeating her order, and raced out the door.

The Doctor stood there, dumbfounded. He looked back at the box, and began to wonder if putting the ball back inside would be all that was needed.

_Course it is!_ he reasoned. _I promised her._ He looked over his shoulder as the door flew open, and Archrilla slammed it closed behind her, and leaned against it. She was bleeding profusely.

"Doctor, take the box and chains and get out of here." she said, wincing as she slid down to the floor. She seemed to be fiddling with a small silver object.

"What's going on?" the Doctor stepped forward, but Archrilla held out the object.

"Get going!" it was a detonator. The Doctor's eyes widened.

"No," he advanced, prepared to snatch the object away. Archrilla pulled it closer to her and held tightly.

"I'm of no use to anyone in my current condition. Everyone outside has lost their minds. I'd rather meet my demise on my terms, rather than theirs." She began to weep, obviously fearful. The Doctor examined her.

"How old are you?" Archrilla looked up.

"I'm sixty-eight."

"And how old do your people live?" Archrilla smiled, knowing what he was getting at.

"Two-thousand and fifty-nine on average, but I once knew someone who was four-thousand and three." the Doctor's eyes widened.

"So, you're still young." Archrilla nodded. "Don't do this, please." he begged, but Archrilla shook her head.

"Doctor," she said, "I'm prepared. The children are important. Find the ball and trap it." She smiled. "Don't let my death be in vain."

Archrilla closed her eyes and leaned her head back. Footsteps could be heard rushing towards the room.

"Archrilla," her scanner had flashed out, and a voice was heard, "the children have all evacuated. Do it."

"No!" the Doctor rushed forward, but Archrilla clutched the detonator.

"Doctor, the ball." she said, staring up at him, "it makes a sound. It hits the ground like iron, but when it bounces back up, it sounds like a spring." She smiled. "Good luck."

The Doctor stared, and was only able to run when loud banging was heard on the door, and Archrilla pressed the button. He grabbed the box and chains, and hurried out the window. As he ran, he heard wood splinter, and an explosion. He was thrown forward, and when he looked back, the room he was in was on fire, and smoke billowed out of the window. The Doctor stood and stared at the smoke, Archrilla's last words ringing in his ears. "_It hits the ground like iron, but when it bounces back up, it sounds like a spring._" Her smile haunted his mind, as he turned, vowing to put the ball, no, War, back inside the box.

He had been walking a while, looking around the tiny planet. He stopped and noticed two small creatures. A human might see them as squirrels, but with longer ears, tufted with white fur, two tails, large, black beady eyes, and overgrown teeth. The seemed to be sharing a large piece of fruit, their tails quivering in excitement. The Doctor smiled, glad to see at least two creatures were not involved in the war. He began to walk away, when he heard something heavy drop. He looked up and heard what sounded like a spring bouncing. The Doctor's mind whirled as he recalled what Archrilla said.

"_Iron, spring._" He began to look around, and set the box and chains down. He pulled out his screwdriver and twisted a few knobs. He held it out, hoping to track down the ball of War.

_Thunk. Brng. Thunk. Brng._ It seemed to have come from behind the creatures. The Doctor pointed his screwdriver in that area, and the steady beeping increased speed, mixing with the sound of War. Soon, a large black ball sprung from the growth and slammed into the creatures. They squeaked as the ball crushed them into the ground. The Doctor kept his screwdriver steady on the ball, but watched in horror as the two creatures suffered a slow death and twitched with the last of their breaths.

The ball then rolled and seemed to stare at the Doctor. It soon spoke, a metallic ping resonating in it's voice.

"You are not of this planet." The Doctor advanced, keeping the screwdriver on the ball.

"You're the one that set war loose on this planet." the ball seemed to quiver and a metallic laughter was heard.

"Pathetic alien. I _am_ War! I am what causes men to grow enraged. I am what causes women to weep in terror. I am what causes children the cling to dirty cloth and I am what kills the innocent." the Doctor glared.

"I'm going to stop you." War laughed again.

"You can't. I can not be stopped." The Doctor watched as the ball rolled towards the box. "Proceeding with launch."

"What makes you think I can't stop you?" the Doctor demanded. War began to laugh once more.

"I have been around since the beginning of time. I have been to eleven planets and I have caused many wars. None can stop me, and I will not rest until all are destroyed." The Doctor frowned.

"Not if I trap you. Then this war will end, as will all the others, correct?" War laughed once more.

"Negative. My damage is done. None shall overwrite."

"But, Archrilla,"

"A casualty of war. Nothing to be concerned over."

"_Nothing to be concerned over?_" The Doctor was enraged. "She was innocent! I promised her I would stop this war!"

"The you lied." War rolled closer to the box, and it seemed to tip forward allowing War to bounce inside. "You should know it, alien. While my taint may fade, it always returns strong as ever. My masterpiece was made on a small planet named Earth." the Doctor's eyes widened.

"It is the inhabitant's fault. I warn them, tell them not to open me. The refuse to listen, so I punish them." The Doctor lowered his screwdriver. War laughed and the box closed itself. The chains and locks lifted, as if an invisible hand wrapped them around. The locks shifted closed with a loud _clank_.

"No one cares about the children anymore." Was the last thing the Doctor heard. He watched as a new "War" was added to the box. The box lifted into the air and whizzed off. The Doctor watched the box fly off before slowly walked back towards his TARDIS.

He reched the blue Police box and opened the door. He stepped inside, and sighed. He allowed a single tear to fall from his eye, as he pulled a lever and pressed some buttons. At this point, the Doctor wanted to go somewhere. Anywhere, as long as he was away from this planet. The TARDIS slowly faded into nothing. He sighed and lowered his head. He raised it, and spoke to the universe he traveled through, knowing full well it could not hear his warning.

"Kindly do not touch the deadly box, and never, ever, play about with War."


End file.
